Report from Emma Sheppard’s Sentencing (BDS)

UPDATE: Em has written her own report on the sentencing – read it here

This week saw the sentencing of Emma Sheppard, who plead guilty to causing “criminal damage recklessly endangering life” to several police cars. All in all it went much as expected. Before handing out a prison sentence of two years in order to “send a message”, the judge gave a summing up displaying all the ignorance we have come to expect of the rich and powerful. He admitted to being confused that a compassionate person might dislike the police, and listed some examples of police ‘good deeds’ to try and make his point, such as protecting the people who suffer from domestic abuse [1]. We wonder if he would apply the same reasoning to the people he sentences, and find them not guilty because they once helped an old person cross a busy road?

Police involved in “Operation Rhone” [2] also tried to claim it as a victory for themselves, despite only getting involved after the arrest, and seeming to contribute nothing significant to the trial. They made a public statement claiming that they have “a long and proud history of facilitating peaceful protest”. Needless to say this isn’t true – Bristol Defendant Solidarity regularly sees examples of people injured and fitted up by Avon and Somerset Police.

We encourage people to write to Emma and support her through her time in jail. She may be moved during her sentence, so check the Bristol ABC website before writing. At present her address is: